We Are Iraqis: Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War

4. Putting Contemporary Iraqi Art on the Map: A Conversation with Maysaloun Faraj

35 4 Putting Contemporary Iraqi Art on the Map A Conversation with Maysaloun Faraj Nadje Al-Ali NA DJ E A L-A L I: How did your passion for and about Iraqi art develop? M A YS A L OU N FA R AJ: The works of Iraqi artists, particularly those of the late 1960s and 1970s, inspired and intrigued me throughout my artistic career. Although I was born and brought up in the USA where both my parents were studying and working at the time, my growing-up years were essentially in Iraq. There, I graduated from Baghdad High School in 1973, achieved a B.S. in architecture from the College of Architectural Engineering, Baghdad University, in 1978 and went on to pursue a career in the arts thereafter. It was during that time I was introduced to prominent artists like Salih al-Jumai’e, Rafa al-Nasiri, Dia Azzawi, Mohammed Ghani Hikmet, Hashim alSamarchi , and others through my husband and mentor, the architect Ali Mousawi, who incorporated many of their works in his buildings and architectural designs. I also had the privilege of studying under the guidance of artists from earlier decades, namely Neziha Salim, sister of the eminent Jewad Salim, and the late Faraj Abbu, who taught at the Architectural Department during my student years. In all, these circumstances had a profound effect on my artistic output and reinforced my interest in and fascination with Iraqi arts in general. 36  Nadje Al-Ali NA: What triggered the move from being an artist to being someone trying to connect with and promote Iraqi artists through your Strokes of Genius project? MF: Apart from my own artwork, the ambition of bringing the, in my view, largely unrecognized artistic achievements of my peers to a broader Western audience has always run alongside the pursuit of my own personal accomplishments. Having worked both in Iraq and abroad, my increasingly extensive contacts with fellow Iraqi artists around the world not only helped continually to inspire my own work but also more importantly manifested in the research that was the basis for the complex undertaking that was to become Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art. Due to recent world events, as a result of which many Iraqis have had to seek alternative existences outside their homeland, an innovative body of artworks by Iraqi artists has emerged and taken shape. Many of these address contemporary themes informed by the complexities of the artists’ lives, be it outside Iraq in the distressed position of being an “other” or inside Iraq where day-to-day survival has become for many an enormous struggle and an unprecedented burden. Driven by a passionate desire to bring together Iraq’s scattered “talents in the wind” and communicate the positive and creative energies, Strokes of Genius (SOG) was born. Through the powerful and universal language of “art” we are able to highlight complex creativity that continues to defy adverse realities within a global framework. Art transcends boundaries and through it we are able to connect and communicate peacefully. It is more important now than ever before that we set aside our differences and focus on what unites us as human beings. Our strength as a people can only be achieved through our unity, and only then can progress be made. NA: How did you start SOG and how did you take the project forward? A Conversation with Maysaloun Faraj  37 MF: In March 1995 I began gathering information about Iraqi artists and established a unique and expanding database and archive, which I continue to develop to date. A year later, Edinburgh-based curator Ulrike al-Khamis, formerly curator of Islamic art and culture at the Glasgow Museum, joined me in my pursuit. Her involvement, guidance, and support, based on true personal commitment as well as on professional interest in the subject, was fundamental on every level. The artist Rashad Salim, whose extensive knowledge of and links with many Iraqi artists, particularly of the Diaspora, proved pivotal in driving the project forward. Baghdad-based artist Hana Malallah provided essential links with “inside” artists, moving SOG further ahead. Europe-based artist Sadik Alfraji, who designed the SOG book, and Ahmad Mosa, who set up the SOG website, gave their time and expertise freely and sincerely, as did many others who believed in our aims and shared our vision. Step by step the project flourished. With this, I gained the...